🔒WPI & Clark University were hit hard this fall by steep drop in international student matriculation

In spring 2025, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University stood by their international students amid the President Donald Trump Administration’s revocation of thousands of student visas. At the time, neither school knew how deeply the immigration crackdown would impact enrollment. Now, they do. WPI’s international graduate student enrollment fell 14.4%, from 807 to 691 students between fall 2024 and 2025, according to its data.

At Clark, the drop-off was 35.6%. The university’s combined population of graduate students and those non-undergraduate classified as other decreased from 1,483 to 955 between fall 2024 and 2025. Last year, 75% of Clark's graduate students were international students, said Angela Bazydlo, Clark media relations manager. “International graduate students bound for all U.S. universities face more intensive screening and longer waits for visa appointments, delaying or even preventing their enrollment,” Jonathan Small, WPI associate vice president of graduate enrollment and student success, said in an email to WBJ. Assuming these students would have paid full tuition, as international students typically do, the enrollment drop is about a $6-million loss for WPI and $18 million for Clark. Both losses would be a sizable percentage of each schools’ annual operating revenue, which are about $380 million for WPI and about $160 million for Clark, according to their financial statements. Both schools now are expanding recruitment efforts and offering new incentives to keep enrollment up.

“We are broadening recruitment efforts, expanding into new regions, and continuing to enhance our in-demand programs … to proactively meet the demand for talent in a shifting global landscape,” Small said.

Barriers to international enrollment

The entire nation saw a 17% decrease in new international student enrollment, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit association. Between May 27 and June 18, the U.S. Department of State paused all new student visa interviews. While that was only about three weeks, the pause came at one of the worst times for international graduate students, said Rachel Banks, senior director for public policy and legislative strategy at NAFSA.

“The timing of the interview pause may have impacted graduate students more than undergraduates,” Banks said. Incoming graduate students tend to pick a university later than undergraduates, as they are often in the workforce and haven’t spent years preparing for the decision like high schoolers, she said. The pause came during a critical time when graduates were finalizing their choices whether to study in the U.S. The pause created a backlog of interviews, contributing to a 35.6% decrease in new student visas issued last summer, according to Washington, D.C.-based news outlet Inside Higher Ed. Additionally, the Trump Administration has proposed the elimination of the duration-of-status policy allowing international students to stay in the U.S. for the duration of their studies without a specific departure date. Instead, the administration has proposed imposing a four-year cap, leaving students to reapply to remain longer without a guarantee of approval. “If you're going to be investing money in a degree program that you're paying a high-dollar sum for, you really want to know that you're going to get what you pay for,” said Banks. WPI’s and Clark’s master’s degree tracks take between one to two years on average if attending full-time. The schools offer combined bachelor’s and master’s degree tracks taking between four and five years to complete. The average doctorate program takes four to seven years to finish, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Still trying to attract students

A Clark master’s degree costs between $34,200 and $68,700, depending on the specific concentration and credits required. A WPI master’s degree costs about $53,250, depending on the number of credits needed. WPI is supporting its international students by increasing flexibility for admitted students and expanding its deferment options beyond the standard one year, said Small. In fall 2025, 72% of U.S. colleges and universities had already offered admitted international students deferrals to spring 2026, and 56% had provided deferrals to fall 2026, according to a survey performed by NAFSA. “We’ve also strengthened global engagement through graduate ambassadors, current international students who support prospective students as they prepare to join the WPI and Worcester communities,” said Small. One way WPI is still pitching itself to potential international students is its designation as the sole Research 1 institution in Central Massachusetts. The distinction is for universities that invest at least $50 million in research spending and award a minimum of 70 research doctorates annually. The designation has generated strong international interest in the university, said Small. At Clark, where officials declined to comment on the enrollment drop, the school is working to broaden its appeal to all students, through programs like Shaich Scholars. The program was funded by a $20-million gift from Ron Shaich, founder and former CEO of Panera Bread and 1976 Clark alumnus. The Shaich Scholars program provides up to $10,000 for 50 incoming Clark undergraduates to fund experiential-learning opportunities, such as internships, study abroad, community projects, and research partnerships, said Laurie Ross, Clark’s associate provost and dean of the college.

“For students who are sort of weighing their options, this really could be the kind of thing that would have them consider Clark and choose Clark,” said Ross. Shaich Scholars will attend annual master classes with Shaich and be mentored by professionals in his network. “Maybe, over time, it becomes a reason why students apply. But initially the idea is that it would be part of their decision-making,” Ross said. The program’s financial support can be appealing for students deciding between working and engaging in their studies, Ross said. “They'll be able to engage in something that’s a lot more meaningful and funding won’t be a barrier,” she said. As for next semester’s international student enrollment throughout the U.S., Banks and her peers are not necessarily feeling optimistic, but they’re waiting on standby. “Last fall was sort of an early indicator. The real measure will be ‘What [does] this coming fall really show?’” she said. Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.